What is Paradise?
by buffy1242
Summary: One day a visitor shows up in the precinct looking for Kiera. This is the story of the 24 hours he can spend with her. Part One of Three. Enjoy! :)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:  
I started this around episode 4 (I think) of season 2. I have been working on it for quite a while and I know where it is going in a few ways, and not so much in others. I have however been writing it in a notebook as I have been working on it when I have been going on long train trips. I have about half of it currently sitting on my computer and about another half in a notebook that is about to be completely used up by writing this story. I didn't write this as chapters so if you think the chapters end in weird places then that's why. Sorry about that. **

**This story will be written in three parts. This is Chapter One of the first part. I currently have up to Chapter Seven typed up, but as I don't know when I am going to get a chance to type everything up again, and also because typing up that amount of writing is MAJORLY DAUNTING and I have been avoiding it for as long as possible I don't know what sort of uploading schedule I am going to keep. I'm going to try for a Tuesday / Thursday thing (yes, I know today is a Monday. I just wanted to get the first Chapter out.) but I don't know how that's going to go.**

**Reviews are most welcome.  
Love to ALL Continuum fans. Awesomest show EVER!**

It wasn't how I wanted to start my day. I wanted to wake up to my son jumping in my bed, like I usually started my day back in 2077. I wanted to kiss my husband goodbye at the door before the carpool arrived to take Sam to school. I wanted to leave my apartment and make my way to the CPS station to find out my current work day's orders and spend time laughing and joking with Elena while pretending that we had a normal, less hazardous job.

Unfortunately that sort of day hadn't happened to me since I had arrived in 2012. In 2012 I woke up to an empty apartment and I was lucky if I got a good morning txt from Alec 'the voice in my head'. Well the txt's sure beat the yelling in my head about how he needed to know something and needed to know it now.

I go about getting ready for my day all the while thinking about what life would be like if I was back home. It has become my daily ritual now. While I make my breakfast I have to remind myself not to make any for Sam and Greg, while I get dressed I have to remind myself not to shout at Sam to get himself dressed as well, about 5 minutes before I am expected to leave I have to remind myself that there will not be a knock on the door of Sam's carpool arriving. I don't think I will ever be able to remember not to expect these things in the morning.

I now break up my morning by stopping for coffee on my way to the Vancouver Police Precinct that I work at. If I time it right, and I usually do I can meet up with Carlos. That one little thing of seeing him before we get to the office just makes the loneliness lessen just a little. Just enough that I don't have to remind myself not to think about how Sam would be arriving at school now.

I see Carlos as soon as I step into the coffee shop. He catches my eye and smiles at me.

I walk over to him and smile back.

"Morning Carlos." I tell him.

The first couple of times that I did this I could see by his expression he knew something was wrong. I don't know why he hasn't asked but I am grateful that he hasn't. I know he still knows something's wrong but he can cover it better now.

"Morning Kiera." He greets me as we step into line together.

This is my morning ritual now. Not thinking about Sam and getting coffee with Carlos.

I was sitting at my desk in the precinct later in the morning when Carlos comes up to me and watches what I am doing on the computer. I can feel him breathing over my shoulder and while it is a little unnerving I don't show him any signs that it is bothering me, mostly because it is reassuring that someone is still there and I haven't left another person I care about in the future while I have travelled to the past. Again.

I am currently looking up the area that the 2014 shooting took place, however it is a big area and every time I think I have remembered everything about that event I see something that makes me either doubt my memory or remember another detail that I have forgotten. I am struggling to figure out how to prevent this incident when Carlos finally speaks up.

"What are you looking for, Kiera?" he questions me looking more and more confused at the notes I keep writing on the paper beside me that is obviously something to do with the map I keep going over in detail.

"Trying to remember something that I always thought was the most insignificant detail I had ever heard." I tell him, keeping everything as truthful and as vague as possible.

"I take it isn't insignificant anymore?"

"I don't think anything that I thought was insignificant is insignificant anymore. Everything just seems to be rearing its ugly head and I can't quite seem to remember the details anymore." I tell him, trying not to burst out laughing at his comically confused face. While I could get that look from him within just about every sentence that I spoke in the beginning of our partnership, he seems to have become used to my confusing sentences recently and it takes a little extra effort to produce that look now.

"Kiera…" Carlos trails off. He doesn't know what to say to me anymore than I know what to say to him about every little cryptic thing that I say.

"I'll let you know if I need a hand." I tell Carlos, knowing that this is the easiest way to assure him that I'm fine and that I don't like thinking about my past.

Thankfully Carlos has stopped asking me about my past. I don't know how many more confusing statements, metaphors and puns I could come up with.

I can feel Carlos sitting at his desk and turning around to glance at me every couple of minutes. I know he knows that something is up with me, and I have a feeling I would tell him what was actually wrong today, if I only I knew what it was. I was just having a really bad feeling about today. Eventually I gave up trying to remember what was actually going on in front of me and turned to Carlos.

"Want to go and get lunch?" I ask. "I could use some time out of the office today."

"Sure." Carlos smiles at me. "What's up with you today anyway? You seem worse than usual on the 'something's wrong but I'm not telling' scale."

"Wow." I remark. "Is it that noticeable?"

"To me, yes." Carlos informs me as we get on the elevator. "Usually I just taken your sullenness as your normal temperament but today is different."

"I don't know what to tell you." I sigh at him. "I just can't shake the feeling that something is wrong, but I can't figure out what it is."

Carlos just looks at me. For the first time in forever when he has asked a direct question I have answered truthfully and he can tell. I think that scares him a little more than it should by the look on his face.

We have a wonderful lunch and indulge in small talk, much like I would indulge in with Elena. It was nice to have that sort of conversation with someone again. I was smiling and a lot happier by the time we made it back to the precinct after lunch. We were laughing at something that wasn't really funny when we stepped out of the elevator onto our floor. I was going to head back to my desk when something caught my eye.

Carlos saw me freeze, he must have because the next think I knew his hand was on my should and he was quietly asking me if I was okay.

I nodded to him and continued to watch what I had noticed.

"Kiera?" Carlos asked again.

He didn't receive an answer. I was transfixed on what I had seen. My mind kept telling me it wasn't possible, but everything I was looking at said otherwise. I knew my mind was playing tricks on me but I just couldn't tear eye sight away from it.

"Kiera?" Carlos asked again a little louder.

This time it gained the attention of the person I was staring at. A little boy.

When he turned around I thought my heart might stop.

"Oh my god." I breathe. "Sam?" I question


	2. Chapter 2

Sam looks at me, and smiles quickly before running to me just like I taught him not to in a police precinct but I am so happy to see him that I don't even say anything. I don't I could even if I wanted too.

"Mom!" he shouts at me. "It's been so long Mom."

Sam jumps into my arms. It really was him, he really was here.

It takes me a minute to recover enough to realise that Sam is here, in 2013. He should be at home in 2077. When I finally bring myself to let him go I look at him. He looks older.

"Sam?" I ask quietly. "What are you doing here? How are you here? Does your father know you're here?"

I can't stop the questions. Greg must be going insane, first his wife disappears off the face of the earth with terrorists and now his son is missing too.

Sam looks at me. He has a death grip on my hand just as I must have on his. I am so happy he's here but so scared at the same time.

"Dad knows I'm here." He tells me just as quietly as when I had questioned him. "Daddy and… his boss they sent me here. I have letters explaining it to everyone."

He lets god of my hand and immediately I feel the loss in the contact. He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out five envelopes. Two have 'Kiera' on the front of them, there is also one each to 'Alec', 'Matthew' and 'Carlos'.

Carlos. I had forgotten that he had been standing next to me when we had arrived back from lunch. I turned and looked at him to see him smiling at me, he looked so happy that I was finally happy.

I turned back to my son.

"Sam," I tell him while taking the envelopes from him. "Come meet my partner."

I pick him up and turn towards Carlos.

"Sam, this is Detective Carlos Foneggra. Carlos, this is my son Sam."

Sam turns towards him. "Pleased to meet you Detective Foneggra. Have you been looking after my Mommy?"

He says it with such sincerity in his voice that I can't help but laugh. I notice that Carlos laughs too.

"I think kid," Carlos leans in conspiratorially to Sam. "That she has been looking after me."

Sam laughs at him. As do everyone else who is watching us, which surprising includes Betty and Dillon. I vaguely wondered when they arrived here but I couldn't be bothered actually thinking about it in too much detail.

"Mom?" he gets my attention. "Daddy's boss said that it was important. You need to read all the letters, all of you. They said that when you read them that you aren't going to be happy and that you need everyone together. That's why I'm here, Daddy said that I am the messenger."

I blink at him. What have old Alec and my husband done to my son? What have they risked to send my son here?

"Sam…?" I am not so happy about seeing him anymore. Not if this is the reason. "What's going on?"

"Daddy and his boss told me information that I have to tell you privately. They said we were supposed to talk between the time you called Alec and Matthew and before they arrived. Then everyone is supposed to read their letters, then you have to all swap letters and then Daddy said you were going to be really really mad at him and his boss for sending me here."

I stare at my son. I don't notice it too much but Carlos, Betty and Dillon are staring at him too. It isn't every day that someone sends their 7 year old son to pass on information.

"Kiera?" Carlos questions softly breaking me out of the shock of what my son has just told me.

I put Sam down so that my hands are free, and look at the envelopes again. I turn to my son hoping that he at least has some of the answers that I am looking for.

"Do you know if it is just supposed to be those with letters or are Betty and Dillon invited too?" I can wait for the rest of the questions until I have a minute alone with my son but this is important before I even start processing what is happening.

"No. Daddy mentioned them a couple of times and he said that they couldn't part of the conversation that you are about to have. Daddy's boss said that it would put them in even more danger if they were involved and he doesn't want you to be any angrier with him than you already are. Daddy's boss also showed me what you are going to say, you were angry." Sam tells me.

While I reach to my pocket to get my phone I notice Carlos talk to Sam.

"What do you mean showed you what she's going to say? I don't even think Kiera knows what she's going to say yet."

"Mom's predictable. Watch this, she's going to get her phone and snap mildly at the first person she calls because he will do anything she asks and she's freaking out and he knows it, but the second person she calls will have her shouting down the phone because no one can know who he is or where he is and him coming here is bad. Mom doesn't trust him so much but eventually she will get his was because she will threaten to put him in jail."

My son had my conversations with Alec and Kellog down to a T.

I called Alec on the phone to get his attention, and to make it look like I wasn't talking to myself.

"Kiera?" Alec asks as soon as he picks up.

"You need to get down to my precinct right now!" I tell him.

I am freaking out now and thankfully Alec must have noticed something in my voice because he doesn't say no straight away which is what he would have done normally.

"Why?" he asks cryptically.

"This is not an over the phone conversation. I am calling… Matthew too. You need to come here RIGHT NOW!"

"Okay, okay." Alec sounds a little frightened, but I am too scared and too mad at his older self to care right now. "I'm on my way."

I hang up and glance at Sam who is grinning at Carlos, while Carlos is looking a little gobsmacked at how predictable I am to my son when he has yet to figure anything out about me. I find that a little funny and remind myself to laugh at that later.

I call Kellog.

"Hello?"

"Good. You are answering your phone for once. You need to come here. NOW!"

"Woah. Kiera? What's the matter? I am not coming to a police precinct for anything less than the end of the world." He told me in his highly condescending manner.

"Well, your world may end if you don't GET YOUR ASS INTO THIS PRECINT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE."

"Kiera? What's the matter. Why can't you come here?"

"Listen… Matthew. Alec is on his was here right now! If you don't come here soon of your own free will I will get you here. I am sure I can scrounge up an arrest warrant or two for you if it comes to that, and remember your 'get out of jail free' card will currently be sitting next to me and MY SON who showed up for a surprise visit today."

It takes a second for Kellog to reply to that.

"Your son? Showed up here."

"YES! NOW GET YOUR ASS DOWN TO THE PRECINT OR I WILL TELL EVERYONE WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU ARE!"

I hung up on that. I knew he was not only intrigued but he also knew that he was more useful to me out of jail, but I wasn't above arresting him just because I could. He would turn up here just like Alec.

"See," Sam told Carlos. "Predictable."

Carlos just stared at Sam. I walked up to Carlos and Sam and grabbed Sam's hand.

"I need to talk to my son." I told Carlos. "Alec Saddler, the kid from the farm and the guy who helped at Tendyne will be here soon. Come and get me when they arrive?"

Carlos nodded and I turned to Dillon.

"Can I use your office? It'll only be about 10 minutes, 15 tops and then you can have it back while we are having a meeting in the conference room."

"Sure." It was the first time I had seen Dillon looking unsure about anything that was going on around him.


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as the doors closed I sit down in one of the chairs in Dillon's office and grab Sam to sit on my lap.

"How did you get here?" I ask quietly.

"Daddy was really mad after you left. He kept yelling at Alec to bring you back. Alec said that he couldn't bring you back ever. They didn't know I was listening until I heard that and came out of my hiding place to yell at Alec myself. He looked really scared when I kept telling him to bring my Mommy back. Eventually he said that he had a prototype that could possibly do a return trip. He said that it wouldn't be able to send much, that I was only about a year away from being too big to use it and it can only be used so many times, but we can use it to go back and forth for a little while."

"I can't ever go home, can I?" This was not a question that I should have been asking my son, but right now he had more information than I did.

"No. Alec said that the one thing he couldn't get to work. Daddy was really mad."

"Daddy knew what was going to happen, didn't he?"

"Yeah. He was really mad when Alec sent you into the chamber."

"I supposed it's a good thing that I am never going to see your father again. I am rather mad at him right now, he could have told me what was going to happen."

"Yeah, I suppose you are. But you have a beautiful life here Mom."

I sit back and let Sam's words sink in.

"What do you mean sweatie?"

"Your family here. You have one, just like Elena did. You have 3 more kids. I have meet my nieces and nephews. Alec introduced us a couple months ago to show Dad that you had a good life here. That's why he had to put you in the chamber, because otherwise Carlos would be miserable."

"Carlos?"

Sam smiled at me. "Yeah, Carlos. You two get together, have 3 kids and you both meet most of your grandchildren before you die in 68 I think Samara said was when her Grandparents died. Apparently you died only a few weeks within one another. They said that was the real testament to how much you loved each other, you couldn't live without the other."

"Oh." It was all I could say.

I was about to reply but Carlos knocked on the door and said that Alec and 'Matthew' had arrived.

I picked Sam up and when to meet everyone in the conference room.

Walking in holding Sam got a rather satisfying gasp from Alec and Kellog.

"Kiera?" Alec looked at me. He recognised Sam from my CMR footage. I nodded at him. I knew he knew that I would explain what little I knew later.

I put Sam down and turned to face him.

"You know who everyone is, right?"

Sam nodded at me. "I've seen the pictures."

I took out the envelopes and handed them too him.

"Then you have the proper instructions on what do with these?"

"Yes Mom." He told me as he grabbed them out of my hand and walked around the room handing Carlos, Alec and Kellog an envelope. He came back to stand in front of me.

"You aren't allowed to show anyone the letter Daddy wrote to you." He told me, but I had already expected that of my husband. "It explains more in detail about Samara's Grandparents and everything that happened."

"Of course it does." I mumbled and folded the letter from Greg and put it into my back pocket.

I looked around the room to the confused and questioning faces of Alec, Kellog and Carlos.

"Let's just read these and then we can talk about what information is here. " I tell them.

They all murmured in agreement but I can tell they all have questions, just like I do.

_To Kiera._

_I know you're mad at me for sending you there without a way to get back. I had to. Liber8 aren't capable of controlling what they do, you know this. You have arresTed all of them at least once. They need someone that can help make sure that they don't go too far. I know you know why they were sent there, and by extension why you were sent there too but everything has been done for a reason. _

_Let Kellog help, properly. I know you're mad about what he has just done to me but that deal has been a long time coming. Because of that dEal things happen, not just for Kellog and me, but you and Carlos. You need to start thinking of your future. Not the future that you were planning to have with Greg and Sam, but the new future that doesn't include them. _

_The week you and him are without each other (and you know exactly which HIM I am talking about) was one of the hardest things in my life to watch. He was miserable. You both love each other. Man-up, deal with it and show him. TeLl him. Do whatever. Remember what Elena gave you, the sermon about ending isolation. That is what he is for you. Take the opportunity with both hands and don't look back at your old life. _

_Also, I know you're mad about this but it was the onLy way. I couldn't make another travel device work so unfortunately I had to send Sam. You will get to see him about 4 times before he has to choose one way or another if he wants to live with his Father where he currently resides or with you. There will be no going back after he makes that decision. I have informed Sam that he has a choice. Greg has told him that as much as he wants Sam to live with him it is ultimately his choice, the same thing that you will tell him too. _

_I cannot tell you either way what will happen because that deCision has not been made yet, but I have seen glimpses either way. Last time I saw Samara she was talking about him, what she remembered from when she was young. _

_I know you're looking into the shooting. Sam has the plans hidden away on himself so that prying eye's of the people that don't have the security clearance that you and I have cannot look at them. That being said, you do tell him. Not when you should unfortunately but you do it when it matters most._

_Remember that I am not who I am currently. I don't like being yelled at. _

_Also, I'm sorry I let it slip to Sam about you and Kellog. That was a mistake, and I can feel the hole burning through me with the glAre from here. _

_I miss you Kiera, you always were my best friend._

_Love lots._

_The voice in your head._


	4. Chapter 4

I am the last one to finish reading, and that probably has something to do with the fact that I can tell even from here that I have the longest letter. I vaguely wonder if my letter from Greg is going to be just as long, or longer. At least he has provided me with answers that I have been wanting surrounding the shooting.

I am mad. Steaming mad. Alec and Kellog know this, Carlos I think is trying to figure out what I am going to do. He hasn't seen this reaction from me before.

I sort of notice Alec stand up and grab Sam's hand to shove him out the door while telling Betty something about 'there are things no kid should ever have to see or hear' before coming back and sitting down before I totally meltdown and anger at Alec and everything he has done to ruin my life.

"What the hell is going on?!" I burst out and don't even notice when Kellog and Carlos flinch at the viciousness in my voice. "He knew. That lying sack of…" I couldn't even think of a decent adjective that would do him justice. "He knew, and he kept it from me. He knew what was going to happen that day. He knew where we would all end up. He made plans with me for dinner that night KNOWING that I wasn't going to be there. How could he? And YOU!" I turned and directed my attack at Alec. "YOU! This is all your fault and you know it. I don't know why you thought this was a good idea in the first place but you put me in that room knowing, just like him that I wouldn't make it home that night. How could you?"

"I didn't…" Alec started and was suddenly interrupted.

"Maybe not now you haven't but you will. Jezz Alec, ever noticed how everything that you have done in the name of whatever it is you're trying to fix has been done so that you could feel better? If you hadn't us here things would be better for you. You would still have your family. You could be normal again."

"NO I COULDN'T!" Alec exploded at me. "If I hadn't sent everyone here Rowland would still be dead. Julian would still be Thesus. My Dad would still be dead and YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE! Call me selfish all you want. I will take it, because I don't know what my life would be like if I hadn't met you the day you arrived."

"Oh." I didn't know how to respond to Alec's outburst. I had been happily ranting on my own and all of a sudden he had interrupted me. It had shocked me into silence. All was quiet until I heard Sam knock on the door.

"Now that your finished yelling can I come back in?"

"Sure sweetie." I told him.

Eventually Carlos spoke up first.

"That morning at the farm. You did know him, didn't you?" Carlos said looking from me to Alec and then back to me.

Crap! I mentally went over what I was going to tell him.

"Yes. Alec is… a friend. He isn't supposed to let anyone know that he helps me out sometimes."

"So that's why you covered so quickly when you saw us at the farm?" Carlos questioned Alec.

"I had too. It risked everything that Kiera was sent here to do if you knew that we knew each other."

Alec had good thinking on his feet skills too it seemed.

"You're Section Six?" Carlos rolled his eyes and then he turned to look at 'Matthew'.

"Just exactly who are you?" he asked.

Alec, Sam and I couldn't hold in the laughter that came out after that question. Even Kellog had a little chuckle.

"What?" Carlos looked at us, all confused and hurt that he was out of the private joke. "He can't tell me his name cause of some 'Section Six' requirement, yet I now know about Alec. When you were on the phone you said that his get out of jail free card was on your side at the moment and that you were willing to get an arrest warrant if needed. He is obviously important enough for you to threaten but I'm fairly sure they weren't empty threats so you are willing to put him in jail. So tell me, who is he."

I looked from Kellog to Carlos, and back again.

"Mom." Sam said beside me. "They will find out eventually. You should tell them."

I sighed. I hated that my son knew more about what was happening than I did.

I looked to Carlos.

"Don't arrests him. He isn't who he was… much… anymore."

They all looked questionably at me, and then they nodded.

"This is Matthew Kellog."

Carlos looked angry.

"This is Matthew Kellog?" He asked, while I could almost see the steam rising from his ears.

"Yep." I told him wincing.

"This man, who saved my life, who very obviously tries to protect you is Matthew Kellog?"

"Yeah," I told Carlos. "He is still the cheating lying bastard that I told you about the first time we talked about Liber8, but he has his moments. They are few and far between and he is a bastard most of the time but sometimes."

"Awww, Kiera." Kellog chuckled at me. "I didn't know you thought so highly of me."

"Shut it Kellog." I turned to him furious. "I'm still mad at you for what you did to Alec, I'm still mad at you for just about everything that you have ever done to me, I'm especially mad at you for almost getting me blown up and I am pissed that you stole… what you stole from me but apparently you are part of this and while I am mad about that you are going to do everything in your power to show everyone here that you are at least a semi nice person who is capable of being nice to others otherwise you will find yourself living in a 5 by 8 cell and not even Alec in 2077 will be able to get you out. Do you understand me?"

Kellog looked at little scared and actually gulped at me. He nodded. I gave him an evil smile and turned away from him.

I was about to tell everyone that we needed to swap letters when Sam piped up from beside me.

"Mom, you should be nicer to Matthew. He's still in love with you after you slept with him."


	5. Chapter 5

I just stood still as Carlos turned to stare at me in horror.

"How do you know that…?" I asked, then realised something.

I turned to death glare at Alec. "Nevermind." I told Sam.

"I didn't tell him anything." Alec said looking a little scared.

Kellog started to chuckle until I looked at him for a moment. He was silent.

"You may not have, but we both know who did. Don't we." I told Alec.

"It was Daddy's boss." Sam said proudly.

"Exactly." I smirked at Alec.

Alec gulped audibly.

I breathed quickly for a minute. This day was turning out to be the worst day of my life and I was finally able to see my son. I looked up at Alec again.

"We will be talking about this later." I told him, then I straightened up and looked at everyone. "However for now, I suggest we swap these letters around."

Everyone looked at me for a moment, trying to figure out if they should say something or if they should just leave the information they have. They wisely choose to keep their mouths shut.

_To Alec._

_You have alReady had a letter from me so I am not too worried about informing you of any important points that you are missing in your current life. _

_You need to remember to prioritise. Kiera and her job is important and wiLl play an important part in your future. Everything else comes second to it, and when you do get annoyed with being at Kiera's beck and call it won't end well. Trust me. _

_Take care of Kiera. She is my best friend and make sure her and CarlOs are always happy together. They should be but there is a lot dependant on that relationship making it._

_Be sorry every day that she cannot return home. It is the one thing I truly regret in my life, and I would send you all the reSearch I had if I thought that you could make it a possibility but by the time the technology is available it will be too late. _

_Take the deal with Kellog. It's important and you will need it. _

_Watch out for Kiera. You hurt her and I won't be happy. _

_Love always._

_The old man sitting at the desk missing what it was like when I was your age._

"Kiera?" Alec asks me.

"Yeah, Alec?" Hoping that whatever is going to ask me is quick because I want to read the rest of the letters and get everything over with.

"Sam told you didn't he? You look miserable when you should be happy about seeing your Son. Did… your husband's boss tell you what I think he did, did he mean what I think he meant to make you this miserable?"

I sigh audibly. "We both know that man could make a clown depressed." I tell Alec.

"Kiera?" Alec tries again.

"I'm never going home." I whisper just loud enough for Alec, Kellog and Carlos to hear.

Kellog and Alec just stare at me for a minute, they don't even know how to respond.

Carlos however doesn't understand why we would all be so shocked.

"They can't keep you here forever, you should be able to go home one day." Carlos tells me, trying to make me see something positive.

"You detective," Kellog tells Carlos while Alec and I having a staring contest. "Have just proved how little you know about Section Six. If the boss man says that you can't go home ever, you can't go home ever."

"I would understand a lot more about Section six if people would tell me!" Carlos shouts as he attempts to stare Kellog down.

"Kiera." Alec smiles apologetically. "I'm so sorry. I wish that it didn't happen this way."

"It's alright, I think." I tell Alec. "It's going to take me a little while to get over that but Sam was telling me that after I left boss man decided to introduce Greg and Sam to Samara and her family. Samara's has a grandmother named Kiera."

Alec smiles at me. "So everything will be okay eventually."

I turn and nod towards Carlos is a way that only Alec would understand. "Eventually, yes." I tell him.

I turn to Sam.

"When do you have to go back?" I ask him. I want to know how long I can spend with him and also how long I have access to the information that he currently knows.

Sam is about to answer me when he is interrupted.

"YOU CAN GO BACK?" Alec and Kellog shout at Sam.


	6. Chapter 6

I turn to face them and find them staring at Sam with their mouths wide open.

Alec manages to recover his ability for speech quickly. "Kiera is mad at me because she can't go back and YOU CAN GO BACK?"

Sam nods. "Yep. But only I can, no one else can come back with me. You're all too big."

I now notice Carlos is looking a little confused at this. I can't bring myself to worry about this because I can see Alec's brain trying to take in the fact that Sam can travel back and forth.

Kellog slumps back in his chair. He looks a little disappointed but I can't understand why. Here he has money and fun, there he was in jail. Alec however is curious. I think he sees this as his way to make up for sending me here.

"How do you get back?" Alec asks Sam.

"I have to go to the place that I arrived at exactly 7.03pm tomorrow night and there is an 'X' that I have to stand on and I have to say the magic words. Daddy's boss said I would just disappear after that." Sam tells him in the way only a little boy can.

Alec thinks on this for a minute.

"What are the magic words?"

"Beam me up Scotty." Sam tells Alec.

Alec starts laughing so hard that he actually falls flat on the ground. We are looking at him confused. When he is finally over his laughing fit he notices the strange glances. He looks between me and Kellog knowing that we won't have understood any of the reference.

"It's from Star Trek. That's a TV show set in the future." Alec tells us.

Both Kellog and I think this is actually kind of funny and laugh a little, but nowhere near as loudly or as hard as Alec.

Carlos just looks between us.

"How do you two not know what Star Trek is? I get that I am missing some Section Six inside joke right now but how do neither of you know what Star Trek is?"

Kellog and I just looked at each other. We shrugged.

"It's not something that people know about where we come from." I told Carlos, hoping that was enough of an explanation for everyone in the room.

"Mom?" Sam questions, I could tell he wanted a proper explanation.

"Alec will explain it to you later, or you can ask Daddy's boss when you get home okay?" I told him

Sam nodded at me.

"Right then." I turned to the room. "I think we should all swap letters again."

_Kellog._

_KiEra doesn't love you._

_Deal with it._

_Help her or else._

_I believe the current threat is that Kiera will make sure you get put in prison for so long that and so much that even Alec in 2077 won't be able to get you out. _

_Remember that threat, because you and I both know that it isn't a Very empty thrEat._

_From_

_YouR new boss._

"Subtle." I tell Kellog.

I am rather pleased with this letter and everything it implies to Kellog. Maybe for once he would get his head out of his arse to help us out.

"Last swap." I tell everyone. "And then we can maybe fill in some of the blanks to Carlos?"

At this Carlos has the expression of a hopeful puppy. I almost want to tell him everything just to make him feel better, but I know that I can't.

_Carlos._

_I know this is probablY a little weird writing you a letter, but as I am unlikely to ever meet you in person I think this is probably our best form of communicaTion._

_WatcH out for KIera. She needs someone to look out for her. _

_She came to you rather broken and unhappy that she had been sent away from her family. She loves being there now, but it has taken her months to get that way. She loves you, deep dowN but she will probably never admit it to herself anytime soon. _

_Believe everything she tells you, and don't let her half-truths get in the way of anythinG between you. She doesn't have a choice in what she can and can't tell you, but it isn't for the reason's you think. Everything Kiera does is for a reason. _

_From_

_Greg Cameron._


	7. Chapter 7

When we finish reading the last letter Carlos looks up at all of us. I have tears in my eyes from Greg's letter to Carlos. I can't believe Greg and old Alec are saying the same thing about all of this.

"Now that I've read them all, can I ask some questions or is this all Section Six classified?" Carlos asks us.

"You can ask…" Kellog answers him. "But I can't guarantee that we will answer."

"Of course not." Carlos mutters. He turns to me. "Why did I get a letter from your husband saying… well that… when I've never met the man and he has never met me?"

I gape at Carlos for a second.

Kellog speaks up instead. "I was kind of wondering that myself" he told us.

I just glared at him. So much for hoping that he was coming to my defense.

"I don't know why exactly." I tell Carlos with a sigh. "But I think he have seen recordings of my CMR, which begs the question…" I turn to Alec, "what have you been keeping of my CMR recordings?"

Alec has a deer in the headlights look for a minute, then he looks down at the table. He shrinks in his chair too.

"Alec?" I ask again.

"Everything." Alec whispers to the room just loud enough to be heard.

"ALEC!" I scold.

"It's a good thing Mom." Sam tries to placate me. "Because then… Daddy's boss showed them to me after you left. I liked watching you with Detective Foneggra."

I glance at Carlos, and while he looks a little confused, he seems to think that this is quite embarrassing.

"What's a CMR?" He asks.

I have been expecting this question.

"Alec, you're up. This one you answer."

Alec sighs at me.

"A CMR is a 'Cellular Memory Review', A memory pack is implanted into the skull and it makes the user a passive recorder of all that they see, hear and smell. It holds up to 36 hours of vid time and the idea behind it is that it is to be used in chain of evidence and trials."

Carlos looks at me, shocked. "Is that standard Section Six issue? Service weapon, Laptop, chip implanted in your head?"

I wasn't expecting that question. I didn't know how to answer that.

"Yes, and no. Kellog doesn't have one, neither does Alec nor Greg and the boss but Elena had one."

"Elena, your friend who…" Carlos trailed off not knowing how to finish that sentence.

"Yeah. She was Section Six." I sighed. "A while ago."

"Is that how you met?" Carlos asked me.

"We used to be partners." I told him.

"Ooh…" Alec made a noise of understanding.

"I take it that was a long time ago?" Carlos asked while looking oddly at Alec's noises of comprehension.

"Longer than you would believe." I tell him.

We are quiet for a minute until Carlos asks yet another question.

"I get the feeling, both from the letter that was sent to you and your reaction to my letter that you would give anything to be with your husband. So why are both of those letters basically break-up letters?"

Immediately there are tears in my eyes. I would give almost anything to be at home with my husband and my Son, but would I give up getting to know and work with Carlos and Alec?

"They weren't break up letters as such. They both just confirmed what I had already known but wasn't ready to accept, that I can never go home."

"I don't understand how someone can never go home, never see their family again. I know it's a Section Six thing but I have to admit that I am beginning to re-think this 'Section Six is so awesome' thing that I had going on before."

Kellog and I laughed. I'm not sure that was Carlos' intention but I was grateful for the opportunity.

"Detective," Kellog said between laughs. "Being Section Six, especially for Kiera who didn't choose this particular assignment, SUCKS!"

"You didn't ask to come here?" Carlos asks me quizzically. "But that day at the bridge…?"

"That day at the bridge I was still hopeful that being sent here was still a huge mistake." I told him sadly.

"Oh." Carlos sighs at me.

I think he finally understands that I really did not want to be here in the first place.


	8. Chapter 8

"Not to break up the bonding moment…" Alec interrupts. " but is now a bad time to mention that there are at least 3 other CMR's in the city."

Kellog and I turn and blonk at Alec. Carlos, who doesn't understand the full implications of what this means looks confused at our reactions.

"WHAT?" Kellog and I shout as soon as our brain processes that information.

"I found them when I was scanning for CMR's when we were looking for Elena's…" Alec trails off not knowing how much information we were going to give Carlos.

It was only when Kellog spoke that I realised that he had no idea what had happened.

"You have another suit?" Kellog asked incredulously.

"Yeah. I gave it to Alec to play with. So long as he keeps it deactivated we shouldn't have our friendly gang members coming after it." I tell him.

"Can I have it? I want to play super cop!" Kellog looks hopeful for about a minute, until he sees the look on my face and his hope dies instantly. I am not about to let Kellog have Elena's suit.

"What is so special about this suit?" Carlos asks, which is unfortunately overheard by Gardiner as he bursts into the conference room.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Gardiner demands.

Alec looks a little scared at what is going on. Kellog, Carlos and I however just stare at Gardiner. I had actually forgotten about Sam until he piped up.

"You're not allowed here. This meetings classified." He tells Gardiner with serious that only a 7 year old can muster.

Carlos, Alec and Kellog barley contain the snorts of laughter they are trying to hide, I don't even bother trying to hide it.

Gardiner looks indignantly at Sam and then a grin flashes across his face.

"If this is classified then why are you here?" he asks mockingly.

"Because I'm the one with classified information." Sam tells him. "Daddy's boss told me."

Gardiner gapes at Sam for a moment trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

"Who is your fathers boss?" he asks.

Alec, Kellog and I roll our eyes. Even Carlos was smart enough not to ask that question.

Alec, Kellog, Sam and I all reply at the same time. "The man who controls the world."

Gardiner takes a step back in shock at realising that Carlos, Sam and I aren't the only ones in the room.

"What are you two doing in a classified meeting?" Gardiner sneers at Alec and Kellog.

"Section Six." They tell him authoritively.

"Yeah, right." Gardiner tells them. "You are just a kid" he points to Alec, and then turns to Kellog. "And you… exactly who are you anyway?" Gardiner sneers.

"Sorry. My name is Classified" Kellog tells Gardiner. Alec and I snigger. This only infuriates Gardiner more.

"I want to know your name NOW! I also want your supervisors name and their supervisors name including those of his father boss and his name and I want to know RIGHT NOW!" Gardiner shouted at all of us.

Kellog, Alec and I laughed. Kellog turned to me.

"I wonder if we can get Escher to vouch for me." Kellog asks me half joking half serious.

"I doubt it." I reply at the same time and Sam says "He would if Mom asked him."

We all froze.

"You know who Escher is?" Alec, Kellog and I all ask incredulously.

"Well, yeah. He's Samara's little brother."

"Samara?" Gardiner asked. We all ignored him.

"So that's why he is protecting me and Carlos." I murmur just loud enough to be heard.

Gardiner who was getting annoyed at being ignored decided to pipe up.

"I knew you weren't a cop working for section six."

Kellog looked up at him and laughed.

"Section Six is Kiera you idiot. Alec and I are only allowed to call ourselves Section Six because she allows it. Kiera has no direct supervisor, so someone like Escher who knows what's going on had to step up and vouch for her. Also I might add that despite what you believe she has been vouched for and therefore this vendetta is not only unnecessary but also slightly illegal." Kellog breathes deeply at the end of his monologue, then he turns to Kiera. "I knew those 'history of law' classes the corporations made us take in high school would come in handy one day…" He paused and thoughtfully looked at Alec. "Hmmm, I always wondered why they focused so fully on… when it's focused on."

Alec gulped. "Sorry." He offered sheepishly.

"What are you sorry for? You weren't even born when they went to high school." Carlos asked.

"Believe me, you wouldn't understand even if we could tell you." Alec muttered to Carlos.

I smiled at Alec's explanation, that was very true.

"I don't understand why you people are so hell bent on secrecy and classified information. I am CSIS, I have security clearance above Carlos and I'm sure above these kids here…" He stormed pointing to Sam and Alec. "So why can't you just tell me!"

Gardiner was losing his cool, quickly. Alec, Kellog, Carlos and I were all seething at what he had just said however we weren't who replied.

"Listen up Gardiner." Sam's authoritative voice drowned out the gasps from everyone else in the room. "You have no idea what you're messing with asking these questions. Don't you think my Mom wants to tell Carlos what's going on? She doesn't because she can't. Daddy and Daddy's boss both said that you were an evil slimy toad and they couldn't have been more right. Daddy's boss says that no one can know, he says that if anyone outside who he has told knows what's going on bad things will happen. The only person who can authorise a change in the order is Alec. His security clearance is the highest in this room so I would stop referring to him as a kid if I was you. Mom can't tell Carlos or you anything without direct authorisation from either Alec or Daddy's boss, which he has actually given for Mom to tell Carlos. I don't think she will ever tell him the full story, but she can tell him whatever she needs or wants to. You however are going to be shot down by Liber8 because you are so focused on my Mom that when you inadvertently hear something you shouldn't in about 2 or 3 weeks the decide that you are no longer allowed to live."


	9. Chapter 9

Everyone in the room is staring at Sam as he finishes his rant to Gardiner. Alec, Kellog and I know immediately that this means that Gardiner is going to be dead soon. I can't help but feel relieved that he is no longer going to be a problem. That man was more trouble than he was worth, he was however a good agent, and if he had learned when to keep his mouth shut he might have been a valuable asset that we had against Liber8.

As I am having these thoughts about Gardiner something Sam said sinks in.

"Sam?" I ask slowly. "What did you mean when you said that I have authorisation to tell Carlos? You know I don't, and even if I did I couldn't tell him information that would probably get him killed."

Sam gives me this 'are you really that dumb?' look.

"It's in the letters." He tells me.

Out of the corner of my eye I can see Carlos perk up at the information that he might finally be getting some answers.

"No, it's not." I tell Sam at the same time Gardiner pipes up.

"What letters?" Gardiner demands.

Sam and I ignore him.

"The random capital letters? It's a message, a message which is nothing if you don't know what it means but a message from Daddy's boss nonetheless." Sam informs me.

I stare blankly at Sam for a moment, then comprehension dawns on me.

"Oh…" I gasp at this information. I turn to Carlos. "We'll talk later, you might not believe me but I will tell you what I know."

Carlos grins at me, our moment is cut short by Gardiner, yet again.

"You will tell me everything too!" Gardiner demands of me.

Alec surprises me when he snorts.

"What is your problem, kid?" Gardiner sneers.

"Don't you remember what Sam said? That I have the highest security clearance of anyone in this room."

"I highly doubt that." Gardiner gloated towards Alec. Kellog and I snorted.

"You should try believing us before you find out the hard way what is and isn't true." I tell Gardiner.

I shooed Gardiner out of the conference room and then turned to Alec.

"Shall we go back to 'Is this a bad time to mention there are 3 other CMR's in the city'?" I stare at Alec.

It's obvious that both Kellog and I want answers about this topic.

"There isn't much to tell other than that. I have a trace on 2 of them. One spends most of its time in a building downtown. I think it might be Escher's, if I am correct in guessing who Samara is then I'd bet her little brother is… of the same ancestry?"

At my nod, Alec continues.

"That is very much a guess though. The other one that I can trace is weird, there is a barrier in place that even I can't get past. I've been trying for days but it isn't going so well."

I sigh.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask Alec.

"You had enough to worry about. I didn't want to add to that."

"What do you know of the third?"

"Just that it was switched off about a second after it was turned on. I got a location, but even when I went over all the CCTV footage all I could see were shadows." Alec informed me apologetically.

I mulled over that for a few seconds.

"Shadows?" Kellog asked suddenly.

"Yeah…" Alec trailed off.

Kellog turned and grinned at me. It took me a few minutes to understand his meaning.

"You don't think…?" I ask quietly.

"Who else do we know that is good with shadows and has had the opportunity."

I gaped at Kellog, then Carlos spoke up.

"What are you talking about?" He asks us.

"This idiot," I motion to Kellog. "Thinks that Travis has a CMR."

Carlos looks at me, the look on his face almost comically confused would make me laugh if I hadn't seen it so many times before.

"Travis?" Carlos asks quietly. "Travis Verta? Our favourite gang head has a Section Six CMR? How?"

"That, is a very good question. I'll get back to you when I have an answer." I tell him.

"I have an answer." Kellog tells us.

I turn and look at him expectantly.

"Travis was experimented on by the military."

"WHAT?" Carlos and I ask incredulously.

"Why didn't I know about that?" I asked Kellog.

"It's classified up the Yin-Yang. CPS would never have found it even if they were looking for it. He was part of a special military operation to create the perfect super-soldier, but the plan was shelved after there were a few specious deaths. It's why he hates the government and corporations, they took him away from his dreams and experimented on him, and then ordered the doctor-in-charge to kill him."

"Wow." I commented. "No wonder he hates the corporations."

"Also why Sonja hates them as well." Kellog was just full of useful information today.

"Because of what they did to her boyfriend?" I asked.

"Because she was the doctor-in-charge."

"That's what Sonja's job was before Liber8?!" I exclaimed. "You could have told me this before, you know."

Kellog rolled his eyes at me.

We all stood silently mulling over this new information when Carlos suddenly spoke up.

"What's CPS?" he asks.


End file.
